Co-pending U.S. patent application No. 148,711 filed Jan. 26, 1988 relates to a wall board bearing one half of a hook and loop fastening system, such as the VELCRO fastening system. The wallboard, as disclosed in that application, is designed to accept wall coverings, panelling and trim pieces which bear on their back surface, the complementary part of the fastening system.
One of the wall coverings which would be desirable to apply to the wallboard surface is a flexible wall covering, such as wallpaper or fabric. These are especially desirable because of the difficulty in painting the wall board. These wall coverings have a decorative finish on one side, and may be made in layers. For instance, fabric, vinyl or paper may be laminated to a support layer such as a fabric web.
In order to be attached to the wallboard, the wall covering should bear one half of a hook and loop fastening system on its back face, complementary to the half on the wallboard.
Materials bearing loops on one side are known, and are designed to be laminated to or stretched over rigid surfaces with the loops facing outward. Thus, these materials do not have a decorative finish on the side opposite the side with the loops, and they are not designed for use as wall coverings with the loops attached to the wall surface.
Difficulties may be encountered in applying a flexible wall covering to the wall surface in that the covering tends to bunch and wrinkle. The appearance of wall coverings is important, and a wrinkled wallpaper would not usually be acceptable. It is also desirable to apply wall coverings in widths that are as wide as practicable, to lessen the labour and skill involved in matching seams and patterns of adjoining widths. Mechanization of the application steps would further reduce labour requirements.
Most construction does not provide perfectly square or plumb walls; some adjustment is therefore necessary when applying wall coverings, especially if wide sheets are used. In addition, trim pieces may be attached to these wall surfaces, and so it may be desirable to provide a calibrated space not covered by the flexible wall covering on the wall in order to permit the attachment of trim pieces.
Finally it is especially advantageous to apply wall coverings horizontally and not vertically since the seams may be less prominent and a full run along a wall may be achieved.